PhD grants announced from the Young Researchers’ Initiative

The WCTRS organises the Young Researchers’ Initiative (WCTRS-Y) with the aim of encouraging young members of the society to raise their capabilities, and to network with members in undertaking and managing key activities of the Society. By doing this, WCTRS prepares a new generation of young colleagues who will gradually take the lead in academic positions and within the Society. One of the key activities is the attribution, every three years, of the WCTRS Ph.D. Students’ Grants. This program aims to inspire Ph.D. students to compete for further transport research and to be stimulated to submit papers for WCTR conferences. Five grants are on offer: an Innovation grant, of $5000 (USD), and four Prestige grants, of $3000 (USD) each. Many very good abstract proposals were received this year and the selection, made by reviewers from the Steering committee of the Society, was difficult. I want to congratulate the five recipients. The papers that will be developed for the grants will be presented in a special session at the 2023 Conference in Montreal.

Dr. Laetitia Dablanc, leader of the WCTRS-Y Initiative

WCTRS-Y PhD scholars

Innovation Grant– Karyn Scerri (University of Malta)

Project Title: Understanding the Impact of Pedestrian Intervention on Laziness and Car Dependency Reduction in a European Island.

Sedentary behaviour, including sitting in motorised vehicles, has been linked with negative physical and psychological health repercussions, even in sufficiently physically active individuals. It is therefore pivotal to identify factors and potential determinants associated with this sedentary behaviour, including the role of the urban environment. Within the plethora of studies analysing habits and experiences as psychological determinants, few have delved into the concept of laziness and car use. This research will explore the phenomenon of laziness by measuring people’s perceived physical exertion to walk instead of drive for short-distance trips and apply the ‘Lazy User Theory’ to examine the constructs of people’s lazy user behaviour in modal choice. Using a living lab approach and questionnaire surveys, pedestrian-focused intervention will be used as a tool to analyse laziness as a behavioural determinant for short-distance trips to better understand and assess the potential impact of pedestrian interventions to encourage active travel.

Prestige Grant– Vaibhav Puri (University of Dehli)

Project Title: Effects of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) on Changing Urban Landscape: A Remote Sensing-Based Study of Delhi Metro

With more than two-thirds of the world population projected to reside in the urban areas by 2050, Delhi is set to become the most populous city in the world by 2028 as per the United Nations. Urbanisation presses the need for a more effective and sustainable form of transportation network. In light of the ongoing of Metro Rail expansion across the megacity-Delhi, the objective of the current study is to analyse the interplay between urban land-use change and the growth of transit system over time using spatial techniques. Satellite data pertaining to night-light activity and land cover change will be used for analysis. The spatio-temporal variability in urban growth studied through lens of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) will prove instrumental in evaluating the potential of resilient transport infrastructures in shaping the future of global cities.

Prestige Grant-Mohamed Khachman (Polytechnique Montréal: Contact Email)

Project Title: Application of Machine Learning to Spatialized Population Synthesis

Simulations of mobility behaviours require rich datasets describing the population. These datasets, generally unavailable due to privacy issues, are generated through population synthesis. Population synthesis is a process that uses census summary tables and disaggregate samples to create a fully enumerated population with economic and sociodemographic characteristics assigned. To guarantee the simulation’s accuracy, synthetic populations used should be spatialized, ideally, at the housing unit scale. In Quebec, the data recorded as part of the cyclically conducted Origin-Destination (O-D) surveys can be used as disaggregate inputs for population synthesis. The O-D sample’s households are precisely located and assigned to clusters where each cluster reflects a different mobility behaviour. Hence, it is suggested to make use of spatially disaggregated O-D samples to estimate the type of household in each housing unit through various machine learning models, and consequently distribute the synthetic households by correspondence of household type and geographic zone.
Prestige Grant– Elodie Deschaintres (Polytechnique Montréal: Contact Email)
Project Title: Assessing complementarity between modes of transport in an urban and multimodal context
Despite increasingly diversified urban transport services, little research has been conducted to understand how the modes interact: questions about their complementarity (or competitiveness) are still raised. Therefore, this project aims at giving some insights into relations between transit and other modes (namely bikesharing, carsharing and taxi) using various passive datasets. First, an algorithm will be developed to identify different types of interactions (first-mile/last-mile intermodal connections, complementarity situations in space, time, service quality/efficiency, or substitutions). An indicator will then be defined to assess an aggregated level of complementarity per spatial-temporal unit (per zone per day for instance) based on the probability of each type of interactions. Finally, the correlation of this complementarity with various factors will be analysed, and the causal impact of this complementarity on the level of use of the modes will be modelled. The results will help clarify the role of each mode in urban multimodal mobility.

Prestige Grant– Debarshee Bhardwaj (Universität Bremen: Contact Email: Institutional Profile)

Project Title: How managers evaluate country logistics performance for global supply chain decision making

Global supply chain design decision (GSCDD) processes such as country selection for locating facilities are extremely complex. Decision-makers must scan large amount of logistics-related country-specific attribute information, such as infrastructure and logistics service quality and demonstrate varying levels of rationality. The standpoint on how managers cognitively use this information for the decision-making is largely missing both in academia and practicality. As a result, our research, which is based on a case study, offers the first experiences of managers making a country selection decision through exploratory experiments. Our research specifically demonstrates the various issues managers face while going through this process, and what role attribute information plays within the process which can be very useful for a better managerial understanding of the decision process. All in all, we demonstrate how much information or rationality is enough for the managers for different organisational cases in terms of the structure of decision process.

Updates – Activities done by SIG B3

On August 30, 2021, we the Chair of Management and Logistics from the Technical University Darmstadt, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ralf Elbert, ceremoniously opened our new "Innovation Lab Combined Transport" at the House of Logistics and Mobility (HOLM), Frankfurt am Main, Germany. With the operation of the lab, we pursue the goal of promoting diverse dialog with different people from the transport and logistics industry, but also from politics and society. In this way, we can transfer results and at the same time have the practical applicability of our solutions reflected, and new innovative fields of research identified.

In addition to basic information, we present our research results on increasing the productivity and efficiency of combined road/rail freight transport (CT). We also consider society's view of achieving climate targets and reducing other negative external effects (realized through traffic avoidance, traffic reduction, and modal shift to environmentally friendly modes of transport). To convey all this tangibly, selected tasks relating to CT are available at an interaction table. The corresponding solutions can be deepened thematically at the specific stations for forwarders, terminals, and CT operators. For this purpose, we have prepared our research results, especially for the touch screens at these stations. We are happy to explain the detailed functionality of our solution approaches in the meeting area, where we can carry out further simulation experiments and test new optimization procedures just like in a laboratory.

With our "Innovation Lab Combined Transport " at HOLM, we address several target groups simultaneously. Together with the companies involved in CT, we would like to increase the performance of CT further and, in doing so, involve both shippers and politicians in an inspiring way. We also want to inspire our students to develop, discuss, and test new ideas for CT here in the laboratory. There is also a particular interest in involving the members of SIG B3 "Freight Transport Operations and Intermodality". In addition to holding SIG meetings, it is planned to offer the members of SIG B3 a space in which they can present their research results.

Prof. Ralf Elbert, Technical University Darmstadt
Mr. Felix Roeper, Technical University Darmstadt

Putting the public back into public transport – the impact of Covid-19 – Research Article

The immediate impact of Covid-19 on the world’s transport operators from urban bus and metro systems to international airlines was a dramatic fall in ridership, and hence revenues. In the early stages of the pandemic, as many countries around the world imposed lockdowns and people were encouraged to work from home whenever possible, passenger traffic collapsed, typically by 80 to 95% of normal levels. Despite some recovery during 2020, further waves of infection kept urban transport ridership at between an average of 30 and 60% of pre-pandemic levels well into 2021. Increasing restrictions on international travellers, from imposed quarantining to outright bans, reduced international air travel to less than 10% of normal passengers.

The effect of such a reduction in demand led to serious financial pressures on all operators. Whilst revenues fell, it was not normally possible to reduce levels of service by the same amount. For urban metros, for example, fixed costs account for up to 80% of costs and, although there are examples of complete system closures, operators were often encouraged to maintain service levels to provide for key workers and to ensure social distancing. Costs were also increased by the need to increase regular cleaning and sanitising of surfaces.

Against this background national and local governments provided financial support to enable services to be maintained. In the United Kingdom an initial GBP1billion package was agreed with Transport for London, support for the national rail network was agreed at an estimated cost of GBP4.3 billion for the first six months to September 2020, subsequently extended for a further year at an additional GBP3 to 5 billion. In the case of national rail this effectively turned the existing franchise system of private operators bearing revenue risk into management contracts with the government assuming the revenue risk. Similar packages provided for support of local bus services, largely run in the UK by private operators. Similar aid was given in many countries, and this included support for airlines.

In “Will Covid-19 put the public back in public transport? A UK perspective” Transport Policy, 103, 95-102. I argue that although governments have provided funding to enable services to keep running during the pandemic, the length of the emergency and the slow speed of recovery threatens the ability to maintain this until demand returns to pre-pandemic levels or to a new equilibrium with lower peaks reflecting more flexible working patterns. This situation will require a more fundamental approach to long-term policy for transport as a whole and not just a mode-by-mode approach. Perhaps the era of the deregulated, competitive model for public transport will be replaced by one which focuses on the need to provide public service. This is also an opportunity for a move towards a holistic approach that addresses problems of provision such as the environmental impacts of transport, congestion and questions of transport justice such as accessibility to transport for all groups in society. Much remains to be done in designing such an inclusive transport system.

Prof. Roger Vickerman, University of Kent and Imperial College, London, UK

WCTRS - Panamerican CAR council

The Pan-American Society of Transportation and Logistics Research (PANAMSTR) is a non-profit organization created to promote education and research in transportation and logistics, national and international collaborations, exchange of ideas and research, and strengthen education and research capacity at the Pan-American level.

PANAMSTR gathers researchers, students, and professionals from educational and research institutions, agencies, and companies in transportation, with recognized importance in the sector, from the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Iberian Peninsula. The main objectives of the Pan-American Society of Transportation and Logistics Research are to:

• Organize the Pan-American Congress of Transportation and Logistics.
• Foster education and research on transportation and logistics.
• Organize events to foster exchange of ideas and research at the Pan-American level.
• Foster collaborative research activities among members.

The Pan-American Congress of Transportation and Logistics (PANAM) focuses on current topics of interest to transportation professionals, enabling transportation stakeholders to identify the issues that affect them and potential solutions, to design effective courses of action in a cooperative environment. The first PANAM took place in 1980, organized by the Mexican Association of Transportation Engineering. Since then, PANAM has been successfully organized every two years except PANAM XXI Lima, which was postponed due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the PANAMs have taken place in Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru). They have also been organized three times in Europe (in Spain and Portugal) and once in the United States. The next congresses will be held in Guayaquil (Ecuador) in 2023 and San Diego (United States) in 2025.

PANAMSTR has formal cooperation agreements with six leading research organization societies: Transportation Research Board (TRB, United States), Red Académica de Movilidad (RAM, Colombia), Sociedad Chilena de Ingeniería de Transporte (SOCHITRAN, Chile), Associação Nacional de Pesquisa e Ensino em Transportes (ANPET, Brazil); Foro de Investigadores de Transporte (FIT, Spain) and Chinese Overseas Transportation Association (COTA, US/China). Additional cooperation agreements are being pursued with other organizations. These agreements enable PANAMSTR to reach out to transportation practitioners, researchers, and policy makers to work together to advance transportation research and practice in Latin America and other countries. The PANAMSTR, as a member of the CAR Council, contributes to the dissemination of WCTR news and activities.

Prof. Jose Holguin-Veras, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, United States

Online Course – Introduction to Road Safety Audits – 9 –11 October 2021

International Road Federation together with the International Road Federation and in collaboration with the World Conference on Transport Research Society (WCTRS) organize a three-day online training course that will look at Road Safety Audits and inspections comprehensively as an introduction to these tools.

Course Overview

Preventive risk assessment tools, such as road safety audits and inspections, are an effective and essential instrument to help road authorities reduce the number of crashes and casualties because design standards alone cannot guarantee road safety in all conditions. This course is free and open to everyone willing to deepen his or her knowledge and skills to enhance their technical and professional competence on Road Safety Audits.

Learning Outcomes

• How to focus on road deficiencies that lead to severe and fatal injuries;
• Identify the risks of a road network;
• Recognize the scope, benefits, resources and liability issues of Road Safety Audits;
• Understand which data sources are available to support recommendations for remedial measures;
• And much more!

For Registration or Further Information, click HERE.

Dr. Wael Alhajyaseen, Qatar University

International Webinar on “Church Street First - Impact Assessment of Pedestrianizing an Urban Street in terms of Quality of Life”

Extensive dependence on motorized vehicles resulted in externalities including traffic congestion, road accidents, difficulties for active transport (walking and bicycling), air pollution, and noise pollution; thus, deteriorating one’s Quality of Life (QoL) and liveability of the city. Furthermore, the transport sector is identified as one of the major sources of air pollution that adversely impacts citizens’ health.

Therefore, the stakeholders and planners should focus on sustainable transport policy interventions considering a people-centric approach. Once such policy extensively considered in developed economies and now being explored for developing economies is ‘‘PEDESTRINIZING URBAN STREETS’’. Pedestrianization is essentially closing the road for traffic.

The Innovating for Clean Air (IfCA) programme is a joint initiative between India and UK to pilot air quality improvement initiatives in Bengaluru. Under the Clean Air Street initiative, Church Street in Bengaluru was closed for vehicular traffic every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to midnight for four months from 7th November 2020 till 28th February 2021. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) was a primary partner along with IST Lab., IISc, Bangalore, and Catapult UK in implementing the Clean Air Street initiative. The focus of this study is to analyse the air quality and public opinion towards pedestrianizing an urban street. Both quantitative and qualitative studies are carried out to understand the impact of the initiative in terms of Quality of Life (QoL). From the studies' results, it is inferred that people were pleased about the initiative and suggested extending the pedestrianization beyond February 2021. The increase in the pedestrian footfall during the months of project duration indicates that more people became aware of the initiative. People were also aware that closing road for traffic improves air quality. People believed that they spend more time in the street, and a pedestrian-friendly environment improves their QoL. The outcomes of these studies suggest the importance of pedestrian-only streets, which would help stakeholders in planning and executing such sustainable transport strategies. These results were presented at the international webinar organized by SIG H2 Chair of WCTRS, Prof. Ashish Verma, on October 1, 03:00 PM-06:00 PM IST (UTC+5:30).

Link to the report

Prof. Ashish Verma, SIG H2 - Chair, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

Carta aberta da ANPET

MANIFESTO CONTRA O CORTE DE RECURSOS DO CNPq

A ANPET - Associação Nacional de Pesquisa e Ensino em Transportes vem a público registrar a sua indignação e repúdio à recente decisão do Ministério da Economia de reduzir em mais de 90% os recursos que seriam destinados pelo Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI). A ANPET entende que ações como essa prejudicam o desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico do país e manifesta sua legítima preocupação com o futuro da ciência brasileira.
A ANPET se junta às mais de 100 associações irmãs e apoia o manifesto contra o corte de verbas no CNPq elaborado pela Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC).

Recife, 15 de outubro de 2021.

I am the guest editor for the Transportation Research Record (TRR) Journal’s Special Issue on Freight Transportation Automation, Logistics, and Supply Chains, covering both the private and public sectors.

I encourage you to submit the papers. The paper submission is open until 30th November 2021. *The first review/decision will be provided within three months. The papers will be made freely available via an open-access link.*

The full CFP announcement and submission details are at HERE. About TRR – The Transportation Research Record (TRR) is the flagship journal of the Transportation Research Board and is one of the most cited transportation journals in the world, offering unparalleled depth and breadth in its coverage. TRR is the #1 transportation journal cited in patent applications and policy documents and is committed to fast, fair, and transparent review. The current 5-year impact factor of TRR is 1.686.

José Holguín-Veras, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE 
William H. Hart Professor
President of the Pan-American Society of Transportation Research
Director of the VREF Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems (COE-SUFS)
Director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment (CITE)

185 years of Excellence! (1835-2020)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
110 8th Street, Room JEC 4003
Troy, NY 12180-3590

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